Carrying case, more particularly for keys



1951 H. R. CORWIN HAL CARRYING CASE, MORE PARTICULARLY FOR ays FiledJan. 7, 1948 I K K v INVENTORS new Q.Coawm m Jam Wmw.

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' TH E III. ATTOQREY Patented Aug. 28, 1951 CARRYING CASE, MOREPARTICULARLY FOR KEYS Harold R. Corwin and Jerry Wexler, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 844

1. This invention relates to a carrying case, more particularly forkeys, such as are commonly in use for the ignition locks and doors ofautomobiles and for doors generally in houses, apartments and oflicebuildings.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a strong, rugged, anddurable key holder of the character described which shall comprises aminimum of simple parts, which will have the advantages of easymanipulation, yet practical and efiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent from the following description, taken together with theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of thekey-carrying case of the present invention, parts being broken away forclearness of description;

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows and showing one key in extended position andone key in retracted position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view, somewhat reduced, of the key-carrying clip ofthe present invention showing the clip blank in the fiat;

' Figure 5 is a perspective view of the keycarrying clip of the presentinvention, illustrating the bending of the clip to secure the key;

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a modified form of a portion of thepartition plate and cover members of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 1-1 ofFig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the manner inwhich the pin of the release mechanism is secured to the cover members;and

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the right hand portion of Figure 2.

' Referring in detail to the illustrative embodiment shown in thedrawings, the numeral It) 1 Claim. (01. 70-456) 2 which the keys areejected. The inside abutting section ll of the clamp I6 is thicker atits closed end as at l5 than it is at its open end which abuts theoffset |3, so that when the clamp I6 is I slid into position as shown inFig. 1, it will fit 1 snugly therein, and a wedging action will be ap-I4, which shoulders are angled acutely with replied at the point l5.

Intericrly, the cover members are evenly divided longitudinally by meansof a partition plate l8 which is disposed parallel with the sides of thecase having the greatest surface area, and

is firmly held between the two cover members with a force fit into aslot |9 which is cut in the interior of the cover members. The interiorof the case is divided into compartments formed by integral partitions2|] carried by the cover mem-- bers. It will be understood that thesecompartments are formed by the juncture of the integral. partitions 2Gwith the partition member l8.

A key-carrying clip is then formed from a flat stamping of metal such as2| in the form shown in Fig. 4. The clip 2| is cut away in the formshown at 22 to provide an opening for the shank of a key. In thestamping operation above referred to, depressions 23 are stamped intothe clip blank 2| for a purpose presently described. The blank is alsoscored for easy bending, as shown in dotted lines 24, 25, 2B, and 21.Further openings 28'and 29 are also stamped therein, also for a purposepresently described. The key carrying clip blank 2| is then bent (dottedlines 24, 25, 26, and 21) to the position shown in Fig. 5. A strip ofrubber 30 or some other resilient material is then snugly applied andadhered to the interior ofthe key-carrying blank as thus formed, one endof the strip abutting the upturned shoulders 3| and the other end 32thereof endingat the depressed portions 23. The rubber strip is then cutaway as at 32a to coincide with the opening 22 of the clip. A shank of akey 33 is then inserted through the opening 22 of the clip so that thehead 34 of the key will be firmly held between the folded over portionsof the rubber strip 30. The key clip 2| is then further bent upon itselfuntil the cars 35 pass through the slots 29 and the shoulders 36 of thecars 35 abut the under sides of the depressed portions 23. The ears 35are then bent at right angles to the upturned shoulders 3| in a planeparallel to the plane of the key. The tabs 3'! are then bent downwardlyuntil they firmly abut the exterior surface of the upturned shoulders3|. In order to remove the key from the clip it is necessary to repeatthe above operation in reverse. It will thus be seen that the key isfirmly clamped rigidly into position by means of the pressure applied bythe bending action and the insertion of the resilient rubber strip 30 ashereinabove described. l l l The clip is thus adapted to slide freelytransversely ofthe case in one of the compartments:

titions 29. A flat leaf spring 39 suitably made of Swedish steel orother material of high ten sile strength is folded upon itself inzi'g-zag form and placed adjacent the integral partition 20 as shown inFig. 1. One end of the spring-39 is bent around one side of the member38 and is then snugly grommetted into the member 38' as shown at 40. Theother end 4! of the spring 39: abuts the tab 31 of the key clip but isnot fastened i fl i pz- Itis contemplated that each key clip 21 in thecase will have two springs 39 therefor as shown in Fig. 1. It will thusbe seen that the key clip 2| carryingitskey will beurged by means of theuninhibited action of the springs 39 away from the longitudinal side 42of thecase lb.

Above each individual compartment or housing formed by the juncture ofthe partition member lB'and the integral partition members 28 of thecase [9, the case H3 is transversely cut away as at 43 to accommodatethe pivot bar 44. The under side of the pivot bar 44 slopesdecreasinglyfrom its center as at 45. as shown in Fig. 2 to provide a fulcrum. Thebar 44. is secured to the cover members [Hand ll by means; of the pin46, which pin is tightly forced through the bar 44' at its fulcrum. Theprotruding ends of the pin 46 are initially laid in a depression l'i inthe cover member. Afterthe pin, carrying-the bar 4 has been inserted inthe. depression 4.1-, a sufiicient amount of plastic or other, materialis flowed, swagedgorupset; depending upon the type of material used forthe case, over the pin into the depression to entirely fillthe-depression 47;. Thus;

the pin carrying the bar i l is firmly, permanently, and looselysecured; in its, proper position.

Qneendof the bar 42- in this instancethe end; 48 thereofnearest the edge42 of the case I9; is continued; at right. angles upon itself; and thenagain turned at right angles in the direction of the. edge of the caseopposite the edge 42. terminating. in an upstanding dog 49. The dog 49.is angularly, beveled as at 5%, Theunder face 5| of. the other end ofthe bar 44 is desirably notched or toothed as clearly shown at 52, Fig.2. A leaf spring 53 ispassed entirely around the partition member Ii} sothat each end 54.. thereof rests beneath the angular lower face oftheend 48 ofthe bar 44- As already hereinbefore stated, a modificationof the partition members and cover portions are shown in Fig. 6. In thisinstance, however, the partition, member, 58 is divided into partitionmembers l;8 o and I811,- each partition member carrying the integralupstanding members 20a, which desirably may be in the form of replicate,folds. bers l I and, I2 are hollowed as at' lfliltoafiord a snugfit. Ithas been found in practicethatpar titionmembersformedin this mannerwillper? mill the, removal of the movable parts from one side of the casewhen it is desired to carry not more than three keys therein, forexample.

So constructed and arranged, a plurality of; keys may be securely heldand carried within a case as here exemplified, such case affording Inpractice, all of. the keys are normally in retracted position as,

ready selectivity of the keys.

shown at 55 in Fig. 1 and 56 in Fig, 2. In retracted position the dog 49of the bar;44,-extends In this exemplification, the cover memthrough theslot 28 of the key-carrying clip 2! and is there held by pressure of thespring 53. To release. a key to extended position, the operator pressesthe end 48' of the bar 44 which will force the dog 49 out of the slot28. As soon as the dog 49 has passed out of the slot 28, the

described, the end 5| of the bar 44 will again,

move toward the partition member l8 until the:

notches 52 come into contact with the clip" 21; The clip 2| isadvantageously knurled or bevelled as at to enhance the frictionalgripping action. While in this position the key may be used for thepurpose intended.

When it, is; desired to retract a key, manual finger thereinto.

end 60 in the direction of the edge 42 of the case. Since keys fordifferent uses are necessarilyof different lengths, the, opening 58 ofthe case is. further enlargedas at 6| to permit entry of a The pressureexerted by the finger on the end 60 of the key in the retracting actionwill bring the edge 62 of the clip, intoconr" tact with the bevellededge 50 of the dog 49- and will thus again automatically bring the dogupwardly into the slot 28 into locking position.

It will beunderstood that a key case of this type maybe constructed forany given number of keys and the presentinvention is not limited to thespecific number of keys and key compart-- ments or housings here shown.

Such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the following claimwithout departing from the invention. 7

Having described the invention, what is claimed A key case comprisingtop and bottom coverportions secured together forming an enclosure, thecover portions having an aperture through which the shank of a key mayextend, a clip for gripping the head of a key slidable in said. en-

closure to projected and retracted positions, the exterior of said cliphaving a knurled portion, spring means forbiasing said clip towardprojected position, a bar pivoted intermediate itsv endsin an apertureof one of the cover portions, said bar having a hooked end to, engage inan aperture insaid clip to hold the clip in retracted position, theopposite end of. said bar having a knurled portion for engagement withthe knurled portion of said clip when in projected position, and aspring biasing said pivoted bar urging the.

hooked end toward latching position and said,

knurled portion on the opposite end into engagement with the knurledportion on said clip when saidclip is projected.

HAROLD R. CORWIN. JERRY WEXLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,934,889 Segal Nov. 14, 1933.2,908,398 Mangan July 16, 1935v

